Hemostat for cutting and removing sutures



May 13', 1969 A. T. PROFY 3,443,313 HEMOSTAT FOR CUTTING AND REMOVING SUTURES -F'il ed July 5, 1967 Sheet l of 2 INVENTOR. ALBERT r PROF) J? T TORNE V May 13, 1969 A. T. PROFY HEMOSTAT FOR CUTTING AND REMOVING SUTURES Filed July 3, 1967 Sheet 4". of 2 INVENTOR. ALBERT T. PROF Y United States Patent Int. Cl. A61f 15/02; B26]: 13/22 US. Cl. 30-134 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hemostat for removing sutures having clamping and cutting tips, and a clamping member being in spring-urged engagement with the cutting tip, the suture first being clamped between the clamping tip and clamping member before being severed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Surgical instruments.

Description of th s prior art The prior art as developed on a search thereof is believed to best be represented by the following United States Patents: 640,517, 2,052,870, 2,060,724, 2,865,099, 2,962,024, 3,166,071.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to a hemostat for the cutting and removal of sutures, and more particularly to a surgical instrument which permits a physician to clamp, cut and remove a suture from a patient in one simple operation.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a suture-removing hemostat which will enable a physician to cut and remove sutures from a patient easily and quickly and with a minimal amount of pain and discomfort to the patient.

Basically, and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides a suture-removing hemostat having a clamping tip and a cutting tip to which is secured a clamping member in spring-like engagement therewith; the clamping member and clamping tip being adapted to initially clamp a suture therebetween and to retain said suture in clamping engagement while the cutting tip cuts said suture, thus enabling the suture to be removed from the wound upon the movement of the hemostat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the suture-removing hemostat constructed in accordance with the present invention, and as used to sever and remove sutures.

FIGURE 2 is a left side view of the suture-removing hemostat of the present invention shown in FIGURE 1, rotated 180 degrees about its longitudinal axis.

FIGURE 3 is a partial right side view of the suture-removing hemostat of the present invention, shown in FIG- URE 1 and after the suture has been cut.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the suture-removing hemostat of the present invention as shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a partial left side view of the suture-removing hemostat of the present invention, shown in FIG- URE 1, rotated 180 degrees about its transverse axis and prior to the cutting of the suture.

FIGURE 6' is a partial side longitudinal sectional view of the hemostat shown in FIGURE 5 after the cutting of the suture.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a view taken on the line 99 of FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 10 is a view taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a hemostat 10 for cutting and removing sutures, constructed in accordance with the present invention, and including cross arms 12 and 14 which are of narrow elongated construction and are provided at one end thereof with finger-gripping portions 16 and 18, respectively, and at the opposite and forward ends thereof with a cutting tip 20 and a clamping tip 22, respectively; said cutting tip being shorter than said clamping tip and having an integrally formed blade 24 at one side thereof, which projects forwardly therefrom (as best seen in FIGURE 10), and said clamping tip having a clamping portion 26 whose side edge 28 is slightly recessed with respect to that of said clamping tip, whereupon the blade 24 abuttingly engages the side edge 28 when said hemostat is placed in its fully closed position, as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGURES l, 9 and 10, the cross arm 12 has an intermediate portion 30 which is narrowed and flattened on opposite sides thereof so as to project through the slot 32 formed in the intermediate portion of the other cross arm 14; the slot 32 dividing said intermediate portion into a pair of spaced, opposed portions 34 and 36, respectively, between which the intermediate portion 30 of the cross arm 12 is received. A screw 38 projects through openings 40 and 42 in the portions 36 and 30, respectively, and is engaged by the threaded bore 44 in the portion 34, thus pivotally connecting the cross arms 12 and 14 with respect to one another.

As best seen in FIGURE 6, the outer surface of the cutting tip 20 has an indent 46 therein, and a leaf spring member 48 has its rear end connected to the indented outer surface portion of said cutting tip by means of a pair of recessed screws 50 which pass through holes 52 therein and which are engaged by threaded bores 53 formed in the rear end of said leaf spring member. The leaf spring member has a forward end 54- whose projection from said cutting tip is co-extensive with that of the blade 24, 'while the clamping portion 56 thereof is disposed inwardly of the cutting edge 58 of said blade, whereupon said cutting edge is slightly recessed with respect to said clamping portion 56.

With reference to FIGURE 1, a plurality of sutures 60, which have been sewn through the epidermis 62 of a patient, have been tied-01f in knot 64. When it is desired to remove one of the sutures, the clamping tip 22 is placed thereunder with the suture resting upon the clamping portion 26, and with the blade 24 positioned on the far side of the device with respect to the knot 64. The fingergripping portions 16 and 18 are then moved towards each other, causing the clamping portion 56 of the forward end 54 of the leaf spring member 48 to rneshingly engage the clamping portion 26 and clamp the suture therebetween, as best seen in FIGURE 7. Further inward movement of said finger-gripping portions moves the hemostat to its fully closed position, in which position it is locked by means of the locking ears 66 and 68, which extend inwardly toward each other from the finger-gripping portions 16 and 18, respectively, of said hemostat. The movement of the hemostat to its fully closed position causes the cutting edge 58 of the blade 24 to sever the suture by moving in abutting engagement along the side edge 28 of the clamping portion 26, as best seen in FIGURE 8. This is effected by the clamping portion 26, which is in meshing engagement with the clamping portion 56, forcing said clamping portion 56, and thus the forward end 54, outwardly with respect to the cutting tip 20 against the inward biasing force of the leaf spring member 48, thereby permitting said cutting tip and the blade 24 secured thereto to move inwardly toward the clamping tip 22, whereupon the blade 24 moves past the side edge 28 of the clamping portion 26 of said clamping tip, to cause the cutting edge 58 of said blade to sever the suture 62.

As seen in FIGURE 8, after the suture 60 has been severed, it is still held in clamping engagement between the clamping portions 26 and 56 of said hemostat, whereupon it is readily removable from the epidermis 62 of said patient by moving said hemostat.

It will be readily apparent that the reason for positioning the blade 24 on the far side of the device from the knot 64 is to permit the suture 60 to be withdrawn from the epidermis 62 while preventing the knot 64 from being drawn into and then out of said epidermis.

It is to be noted that although the operation of the hemostat has been described with the clamping tip 22 being inserted under the suture 60, the hemostat may also be utilized by inserting the forward end 54 of the spring-like member 48 under said suture. However, as described previously, the blade 24 must be positioned on the far side of the device from the knot 64.

It is thus seen that I have provided a new and novel hemostat for the cutting and removal of sutures from the epidermis of a patient in one simple operation which can be accomplished in a swift manner with little or no pain or discomfort to the patient.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, there are many modifications which may be made therein by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hemostat for the cutting and removal of a suture from the epidermis of a patient, said hemostat comprising a pair of crossed pivotally connected arms having rear end portions provided with finger-gripping portions and front end portions, one of said front end portions being a clamping tip and the other of said front end portions being a cutting tip which is shorter than said clamping tip, said clamping tip having a clamping portion at the outer end thereof, said cutting tip having a blade secured thereto and projecting forwardly thereof, a leaf spring member secured to said cutting tip and having an end portion projecting forwardly beyond said cutting tip and defining a clamping portion disposed inwardly of said cutting tip and the cutting edge of said blade, said end clamping portion of said clamping tip and the clamping portion of the forward end of said leaf spring member being adapted to engage one another in meshing relationship to clamp a suture therebetween by the inward movement towards one another of said finger-gripping portions, further inward movement of said finger-gripping portions causing the cutting edge of said blade to sever said suture while maintaining said suture clamped between said clamping portions, whereupon said suture is removable by the movement of said hemostat.

2. A hemostat for the cutting and removal of a suture from the epidermis of a patient, said hemostat comprising a pair of crossed pivotally connected arms having rear end portions provided with finger-gripping portions and front end portions, one of said front end portions being a clamping tip and the other of said front end portions being a cutting tip which is shorter than said clamping tip, said clamping tip having a clamping portion at the outer end thereof, said cutting tip having a blade secured thereto and projecting outwardly thereof, a leaf spring member secured to said cutting tip and having an end portion projecting forwardly beyond said cutting tip and defining a clamping portion disposed inwardly of said cutting tip and the cutting edge of said blade, said end clamping portion of said clamping tip and the clamping portion of the forward end of said leaf spring member being adapted to engage one another in meshing relationship to clamp a suture therebetween by the inward movement towards one another of said finger-gripping portions, further inward movement of said finger-gripping portions causing the cutting edge of said blade to sever said suture while maintaining said suture clamped between said clamping portions, and locking means on said finger-gripping portions interengageable with one another upon the final movement of said finger-gripping portions to hold said hemostat in its locked position with said suture clamped between said clamping portions, whereupon said suture is removable by the movement of said hemostat.

3. A hemostat for the cutting and removal of a suture from the epidermis of a patient in accordance with claim 2, wherein said locking means comprises a locking ear secured to each of said finger-gripping portions and disposed inwardly toward one another.

4. A hemostat for the cutting and removal of a suture from the epidermis of a patient in accordance with claim 2, wherein said cutting tip has an indent formed in the outer surface thereof, and said leaf spring member being positioned within said indent in abutting engagement with said cutting tip.

5. A hemostat for the cutting and removal of a suture from the epidermis of a patient in accordance with claim 2, wherein said blade is formed integrally with said cutting tip and is laterally offset with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 86,333 1/1869 Warren 30-134 382,764 5/1888 Hammond 30-134 778,140 12/1904 Patf 30-134 2,127,190 8/1938 Solomon 128-318 2,320,460 6/1943 Muller 30-134 2,865,099 12/1958 Blackwood 30-134 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

R. V. PARKER, JR., Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 128-318, 321 

